The most challenging high school football postseason bracket is now in the semifinals, with both CIF Southern Section Division 1 games highlighting this week’s top matchups.
In a thrilling face-off, No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) will travel 30 miles to take on No. 12 Centennial (Corona, Calif.), while No. 7 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) will host No. 13 Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.). Both games are set for Friday evening.
The Monarchs have put together an impressive undefeated run, winning all 10 of their games by at least 11 points. Notably, six of their victories have come against teams ranked in the top 25. Meanwhile, the Huskies have turned things around from an 0-2 start, racking up nine consecutive wins, including a thrilling 25-20 victory over Mission Viejo in last week’s quarterfinals.
St. John Bosco showcased their resilience last week, overcoming a 23-10 third-quarter deficit to edge Santa Margarita with a final score of 31-29. On the other side, Orange Lutheran cruised to a 42-20 win against JSerra Catholic in their quarterfinal matchup.
In Utah, Eric Kjar continues to lead No. 21 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), having guided the Chargers to seven consecutive state title game appearances over his eight-year tenure. They are set to face Lone Peak on Thursday in the 6A championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Kjar boasts an impressive 99-8 coaching record, though three of those losses have come at the hands of Lone Peak, including their sole loss of this season, when they fell 28-21.
In Cincinnati, Archbishop Moeller will clash with Greater Catholic League counterpart St. Xavier on Friday, vying for a spot in the Division I semifinals. The Fighting Crusaders have emerged victorious in five consecutive matchups with the Bombers, including a tight 45-37 decision during the regular season. Junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski displayed his prowess, throwing for 321 yards and six touchdowns, while St. X’s senior Chase Herbstreit managed 337 total yards and two scores.
Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week
1. No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) at No. 12 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m. (All times local) – Watch live on NFHS Network
Top players
Mater Dei: RB Jordon Davison (6-0, 215), DL Tomuhini Topui (6-3, 320), OL Kodi Greene (6-6, 300), DL Nasir Wyatt (6-2, 210), TE Mark Bowman (6-5, 225)
Centennial: QB Husan Longstreet (6-2, 200), WR Cory Butler Jr. (5-9, 170), RB Malachi Roby (6-0, 200), OL Drew Hill (6-3, 290), OL Daniel Shipp (6-6, 275)
These two opened the regular season against each other and Mater Dei dominated the second half en route to a 42-25 win. It was the sixth straight win for the Monarchs over Centennial. The Huskies were without five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet, who was out with a foot injury. The last time Centennial beat Mater Dei was in the Pac-5 Division semifinals in 2015. That is the last loss the Monarchs have had to anyone not named St. John Bosco (Bellflower).
2. No. 13 Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) at No. 7 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m. – Watch live on NFHS Network
- 17 Orange Lutheran
- 20 St. John Bosco
Top players
Orange Lutheran: LB Talanoa Ili (6-4, 220), QB T.J. Lateef (6-3, 190), TE A.J. Ia (6-6, 215), OL Samuela Utu (6-5, 310), DB Benjamin Alefaio (6-1, 190)
St. John Bosco: WR Madden Williams (6-2, 185), DB Isala Wily-Ava (6-2, 195), DL Dutch Horisk (6-2, 230), QB Koa Malau’ulu (6-1, 165), DL Epi Sitanilei (6-5, 220)
Malau’ulu made his first career start during the regular season meeting and had his best game during his freshman campaign, completing 24 of 32 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns. He led the Braves on a game-winning, 77-yard drive capped with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Carson Clark with under a minute left. The Lancers entered the 2024 season with the toughest schedule in the country and their three losses have come against No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and No. 7 St. John Bosco.
3. No. 21 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) vs. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)
Thursday, 2:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium
- 27 Lone Peak
- 30 Corner Canyon
Top players
Corner Canyon: OL Zion Finau (6-2, 300), OL Esun Tafa (6-4, 305), WR Kai Meza (6-1, 185), RB Weston Briggs (6-1, 205), WR Chryshaun Lee (5-8, 170)
Lone Peak: OL Austin Pay (6-7, 290), DL Junior Tahi (6-1, 230), DL Bott Mulitalo (6-4, 275), OL Toby Mealer (6-5, 315), DB Jayden Mayberry (6-0, 175)
Corner Canyon is making its seventh straight state championship game appearance with wins in 2018 (5A), 2019 (6A), 2020 (6A) and 2023 (6A). Lone Peak has won three state titles with those coming in 2011 (5A), 2018 (6A) and 2021 (6A). Corner Canyon had to rally to beat Lehi in the semifinals with a 35-34 overtime win last week. Bronson Evans connected with Meza for a 14-yard touchdown with 19 seconds remaining to send the game to OT. The Knights beat Skyridge (Lehi) in the other semifinal, 28-21.
4. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati) vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Mason High School
- 23 St. Xavier
- 28 Archbishop Moeller
Top players
Archbishop Moeller: QB Matt Ponatoski (6-2, 190), WR Jovan Love (6-2, 190), DL Christian Harris (6-1, 275), DL Jonah Hayes (6-6, 220), TE Cooper McCutcheon (6-4, 220)
St. Xavier: OL Tucker Kattus (6-5, 300), LB Kobe Clapper (6-2, 210), ATH Daniel Vollmer (6-2, 210), DB Lucas Bishop (5-11, 175), QB Chase Herbstreit (6-2, 190)
Both Cincinnati powers are playing their best football ahead of Friday’s showdown. Moeller has won nine in a row while St. Xavier has reeled off six straight wins. This Division I quarterfinal matchup will be the 73rd meeting all-time with Archbishop Moeller holding a 47-24-1 edge. The winner advances to the Division I semifinals awaiting the winner of Centerville and Wayne (Huber Heights) on Nov. 29.
5. Pittsburg (Calif.) at No. 23 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Diablo Valley College – Watch live on NFHS Network
- 7 Pittsburg
- 10 De La Salle
Top players
Pittsburg: DB Jadyn Hudson (6-2, 180), DL Jewelous Walls (6-3, 225), RB Jamar Searcy (5-8, 180), WR Kenneth Ward (5-8, 175), QB Marley Alcantara (5-10, 180)
De La Salle: RB Derrick Blanche (5-8, 175), DL Matthew Johnson (6-5, 250), QB Toa Faavae (6-1, 195), RB Dominic Kelley (6-0, 190), LB Niko Baumgartner (6-3, 205)
The last time De La Salle started a season 11-0 was in 2018 when its only loss came in the Open Division state championship against Mater Dei. Pittsburg’s only loss this season came at No. 7 St. John Bosco. The winner will have a chance to represent Northern California in the Open Division state championship on December 14. The last time the Pirates beat De La Salle was in the 1991 North Coast Section 3A championship, which was the last time the Spartans lost in the section championship. They go for their 32nd consecutive section title Friday and have won 33 in a row against Pittsburg.
6. Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.) at No. 11 Buford (Ga.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. – Watch live on NFHS Network
Top players
Lowndes: WR Jaylin Carter (5-11, 185), RB Marvis Parrish (5-11, 185), QB Jayce Johnson (6-4, 205), DB Landen Wright (6-1, 200), DB Tre Thomas (6-1, 180)
Buford: LB Jadon Perlotte (6-4, 215), DL Bryce Perry-Wright (6-3, 255), RB Justin Baker (5-11, 190), WR Jordan Allen (5-8, 170), LB Mantrez Walker (6-1, 225)
Buford is riding a 10-game win streak after dropping its season-opener against No. 2 Milton, winning by an average margin of 31.7 points per game. Lowndes has won five in a row since suffering its only loss against Colquitt County (Moultrie), 38-35. This will be the first meeting between the two Georgia powers, which have combined for 19 state titles. The winner advances to the AAAAAA quarterfinals awaiting either North Gwinnett (Suwanee) or Newton (Covington).
7. No. 24 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) vs. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Sunday, 6 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
- 7 Our Lady of Good Counsel
- 16 DeMatha
Top players
DeMatha: RB Bud Coombs (5-10, 190), WR Lavar Keys (5-11, 170), QB Denzel Gardner (6-0, 200), LB Noah Chambers (6-2, 215), LB Jermaine Minnis (6-1, 210)
Good Counsel: DB Faheem Delane (6-2, 195), WR Damarion Fowlkes (5-11, 180), DL Anthony Sweeney (6-3, 200), RB Joseph Williams (5-8, 180), OL Gavin Crawford (6-3, 310)
DeMatha has dominated WCAC action as it enters Sunday’s championship game 5-0 against conference opponents. The Stags are winning by an average margin of 26.2 points per game and beat Good Counsel 35-7 during the regular season. The Falcons have won six of seven after a 1-3 start with the lone loss coming against DeMatha. Good Counsel is trying to repeat as WCAC champs while the Stags are going for their first WCAC title since 2016.
8. Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.) at North Cobb (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
- 31 Douglas County
- 10 North Cobb
Top players
Douglas County: WR Aaron Gregory (6-3, 170), DL Jordan Carter (6-4, 235), WR Devin Carter (6-0, 165), QB D.J. Bordeaux (6-2, 195), RB Zamarcus Lindley (5-11, 200)
North Cobb: OL Brandon Anderson (6-4, 320), RB Zach Belyeu (5-11, 210), LB Cooper Negron (6-2, 205), QB Nick Grimstead (6-1.5, 180), DB Dy’lon Womack (6-0, 190)
Douglas County opened the AAAAAA playoffs with a 27-18 win over Mill Creek (Hoschton). The Tigers’ only two losses have come against No. 5 Carrollton and No. 11 Buford. North Cobb opened the playoffs knocking out last year’s AAAAAAA semifinalist Camden County (Kingsland) 28-7. Freshman running back Zach Belyeu has been one of the best in the state heading into Friday’s matchup with 1,045 yards and 15 touchdowns. The winner awaits either West Forsyth (Cumming) or Archer (Lawrenceville) in the quarterfinals.
9. Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) vs. Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium
- 21 Archbishop Hoban
- 7 Walsh Jesuit
Top players
Walsh Jesuit: WR Milan Parris (6-5, 200), QB Keller Moten (5-11, 185), ATH James Brewer III (6-3, 180), OL Colt Crosley (6-3, 275), RB Luke Weaver (5-7, 185)
Archbishop Hoban: ATH Brayton Feister (6-3, 230), DB Elbert Hill (5-10, 175), LB Eli Lee (6-3, 230), WR Payton Cook (6-2, 170), OL Sam Greer (6-6, 310)
These two faced off in early October and Walsh Jesuit snapped an 11-game losing skid against Archbishop Hoban with a 19-14 win. The winner advances to the Division II semifinals and will face either Avon or Highland (Medina) on Nov. 29.
10. Brownsburg (Ind.) at Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)
Friday, 7 p.m.
- 31 Brownsburg
- 27 Center Grove
Top players
Brownsburg: QB Oscar Frye (6-2, 175), WR Branden Sharpe (5-11, 155), WR Avin Robinson (6-1, 185), DB Quentin Russ (5-11, 170), LB Alex Burke (6-0, 205)
Center Grove: QB Gabe McWilliams (6-6, 215), WR Drake McClurg (5-11, 160), OL C.J. Scifres (6-6, 325), ATH Dominick Barry (6-4, 225), LB T.J. Williams (6-0, 220)
Brownsburg jumped back in our expanded top 100 after becoming the first team to beat Lawrence North (Indianapolis) in the 6A quarterfinals. Sophomore quarterback Oscar Frye connected with Kovon Sumpter-Bey for a 10-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-20 with 13 seconds left. The Bulldogs went for two and Iosua Stephens punched it in to clinch their first regional championship in 39 years. Center Grove beat Warren Central (Indianapolis) 23-15 in the quarterfinals and have won three in a row after a three-game losing skid. The winner will face either Westfield or Crown Point in the 6A state championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 29.
